


Conversations, Part 3

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-12-12
Updated: 2003-12-12
Packaged: 2019-05-30 20:08:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15104006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of theWest Wing Fanfiction Central, a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in theannouncement post.





	Conversations, Part 3

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

  


**Conversations, Part 3**

**by:** pung

**Character(s):** Leo, Jordan  
**Pairing(s):** Leo/Jordan  
**Category(s):** Romance  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Disclaimer(s):** All characters but Hannah are the creation of Aaron Sorkin. Yadda-yadda-yadda.  
**Summary:** Follows "Cooking Where There's Good Love"  
**Author's Note:** Comes out of exchange I had with a few friends a while ago about Leo being sexist in some situations. He's about to get his consciousness raised-whether he likes it or not.

It was a pleasant surprise to have him show up with chinese food on a weeknight, and at a decent hour at that.

Dinner over, they sat at either ends of her couch in the living room, both with their briefcases close by. Jordan sat with her feet in  Leo's lap, reading a deposition. Leo, of course was on his cell phone.

"Parker needs to be called about the Senate thing...No, the other thing...didn't I take care of that? Oh...well, see if he can come in in the aftern...well, move the meeting with Ashcroft to...Yeah. Margaret...I know about the...Okay...O*kay*...Fine. Yes...thank you. Good Night, Margaret." He closed the phone with a snap and sighed.

"Something wrong?" she asked, peering at him over her glasses. He shook his head and absently rubbed her feet.

"Margaret's in one of her moods."

"Margaret? Really? She always seems pretty level to me."

"She nags me."

"You need nagging sometimes. Is it anything specific?"

His attentions to her feet became more specific. She responded by gently rubbing her heels in his lap. "Oh...it's silly. She comes in this moring and tells me that Bruno's asked her to come to the Embassy thing with him..."

"That's nice."

"Well, that's the thing-she asks me what I think about it..." He suddenly noticed that her feet had turned to steel. "I tell her I don't think it's such a hot idea, and she's been pissy ever since."

Leo noticed that Jordan was staring at him, her mouth open. "What?", he asked.

"I'm waiting for you to tell me this is a joke. In fact, I'm *praying* it's a joke!"

"Well, she asked me..."

Jordan's feet shot out of his lap like they were on fire. She curled them under her and tossed the file aside."Leo, I can't believe this! You think that when she asked you what you think, she was asking your PERMISSION?"

"Well, what else..."

"She wanted you to be *alright* about it! She doesn't want your permission, Leo-she *wants* your approval!"

"Wait a minute!" he sputtered, taken aback by her anger.

"What did you say to her?"

Leo looked around as he thought. "I said...Bruno *works* for us-those kind of things don't bode well in the workplace."

"What kinds of things?"

"Well, relationships..."

"He asked her out on a *date*, Leo-that's not a proposition."

"Look..." He knew he was in trouble, and his voice became low and coaking. "I've known Bruno for years...he has more notches on his gun that Carter's got pills..."

"Oh, so this is about PROTECTING Margaret? Did she leave a NUNNERY to come to work for you?" She got up off the couch and began to pace, shaking her head. "I can't believe this..."

"Jordan..."

"Do you realise you are bordering on sexual harrassment?"

"Now, wait just a minute..."

"It's against the *law* to interfere in an employee's personal life! Not to *mention* that that woman runs your office better than any ten people I know! She never leaves the office until you do, and sometimes, like tonight, she stays after you leave. And she could walk out the door tomorrow and land a job at twice the salary in a heartbeat! And the way I'm feeling right now, *I'd* offer her a job-at least I wouldn't try to run her life..."

"I still don't think it's a good idea."

"You can think what you like, you dumb sexist Mick! Assholes and opinions,Leo-everyone's got one. But you don't have the right to express your opinion to a woman who, unfortunately for her, thinks a lot of your opinion."

"I'm not a sexist..."

"Oh, the HELL you aren't! I'm not surprised, mind you. You belong to three of the biggest boy's clubs on earth-the military, politics and the Catholic Church. I've developed some tolerance for it because you have many other good qualities."

"Thank you so much for the vote of confidence." He said sarcastically.

She would not take the bait. She stood in front of him with her arms crossed. "Leo, I hear you talk about Josh, and Sam and Toby...and I hear you talk about C.J. and Ainsley and Margaret-when you're pleased with them, you call them 'good girls'. Hell, the first time we went out, you called *ME* a good girl."

"It's just an expression..."

"It's an expression that speaks volumes." She shook her head. "I can't believe I'm having this conversation."

"Me either." he said, looking away.

She stood there a moment, and finally spoke in a quiet voice.

"Leo... you need to recognise that it's wrong, and then you need to make it right... and until you *do*, you can go...back to your hotel."

She turned and walked out of the room, and he heard her clomping up the stairs. A moment later, he heard the bedroom door slam.

He got up off the couch, and started to put on his jacket. "Great," he thought, "Like having Margaret mad at me isn't enough"  He started putting his papers back in the briefcase. "Women...Can't live with 'em, can't shoot 'em...I don't know what's gotten into her tonight. She's usually such a good..." He froze. He sat down.

"I can't be a sexist," he said aloud, "I'm a liberal democrat!"

But what Jordan had said was starting to sink in. He did appreciate Margaret's efforts-but did he ever think what her life was like? She had been his assistant since he was Secretary of Labor. She had kept his head above water during the worst of his drinking, she had kept his secrets for years.

Margaret.

He knew nothing of the sacrifices she had made-a young woman who had her own hopes and dreams-and the same sense of duty that he had.

His cell phone was on the couch, and he picked it up. She was the very first number on his speed dial-and no wonder. He punched the button.

"Oink-Oink..." he said under his breath, as the phone began to ring.

 

11:15pm

He tapped lightly on the closed door.

"Yes?"

"May I come in?"

"It's not locked."

He walked into the room. She lay under the covers, reading a novel. She did not look up.

"So.." he said.

"So?" she said.

"So I talked to Margaret..."

"I hope you didn't talk to her on my account."

"No. I talked to her...because I thought about what you said. May I?" he said, gesturing toward the edge of the bed. She nodded. He sat down.

"And?"

"And...she's like your advice about what to wear."

Jordan smiled. "I'll call her in the morning."

"I'm sorry, Jordan-and before you ask, yes, I apologised to Margaret as well.  I guess...I'm not as evolved as I thought I was."

"You do alright, most of the time."

"So..."

"So?"

"If you'll allow me in your bed, I'd like to apologise further..."

She flipped the covers back and giggled.

"Good Boy."

**The Next Story in the Series:** "A Fine Night for the Affair" 


End file.
